Darkness Falls part 1
by Dendraica
Summary: Can Nosedive find friendship within a place filled with death?
1. Darkness Falls 1

  
  


All characters except Sparrow, Cobran, Jaxara, Dactylar, Julianna, and other Saurian characters belong to Disney. This story is for fun only. No profit is intended or even wanted so don't sue me - it's not worth your time.

NOTE TO THE READER: This story is quite dark. It is a rewritten version of the First Faceoff. I tried my best to keep characters in character. So please don't shoot me with a Uzi. J/K ^_^

  
  


* * *

"Wildwing, they came for me."  
  
"Dive - -"  
  
"Man, big bro . . . What if I never see you again?" Wildwing embraced his fifteen-year-old brother, rubbing his back gently. "I can't leave you," Dive muttered into Wing's shoulder.  
  
"Listen, no matter what happens to me, I'm always with you. Mom's at the camp you're going to. Tell her I love her, okay?"  
  
Then the Saurians arrived at their cell. "Nosedive Firedrake. Step forward." Dive obeyed and was suddenly arrested in a bruising grip by two Saurian officers. "You will be transferred to the ore mine in charge of General Dactylar. Resist and you shall be punished." Dive tried not to let more than a soft groan escape as the Saurian on his left twisted his arm painfully behind him.   
  
Dive looked back at his brother who watched with anger and helplessness as they dragged him away. A blow to the face from the Saurian in front of him sent the lights dancing before his eyes. "Keep looking ahead. You're slowing us down, scum!" Nosedive watched the other prisoners be dragged away to the Saurian transporter ship and cried out as he was flung against it, face first and his arms were shackled behind him. The impact of the cold steel left a trickle of blood to appear on his beak as he was searched for weapons and thrown into the cargo hold. They chained the captives together and made them sit along the inside walls, their chains stretching across the floor. This way, they could all be monitored by the officer standing within the hollow ring of captives.   
  
The officer lashed out with a whip if someone so much as whimpered. The three-hour drive was hell. Dive didn't know which direction they were headed or when they would get there.   
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an officer walking over to strike a ten-year-old who was crying. Disgusted by the leer the Saurian was wearing, he tripped the officer with his chains and watched with satisfaction as the Saurian flew forward, and landed on his face. The Saurian was stunned for five blessed seconds, but then he got up and was about to belabor Nosedive with his whip when, fortunately, the officer was called away to deal with an urgent technical problem, so he had left off with a warning glare.  
  
It wasn't until the cargo ship's hatch opened that he realized where they were. At a prison for felons and convicts of Puckworld. Nightingale Prison Institute, to be exact.  
  
Nosedive winced at the pain in his cramped legs as he was hauled to his feet and dragged along by the Saurians. He looked around him at the devastation wrought by the Saurians. He could see the fragments of the shattered statue of Drake Ducaine which meant his home was not far from the ore mine. He knew, that beneath the rubble of the city laid his home and his friends' homes. He also knew without a doubt that all of the people brought to the camp with him were at loss too.   
  
As he was herded through the halls of the prison, the smell of death became overpowering. It was only a moment before he realized that the cells were all empty because the Saurians had murdered the occupants in cold blood while they were helpless behind bars. Saints, have pity, Dive prayed, as he chanced to look in upon a cell that had not been 'cleaned out' yet. The guards threw him into a cell that was fortunately empty. When they came back a few minutes later, they had a bunkmate for him. It was the ten-year-old he had rescued from a beating.  
  
The guards unshackled him threw him in, slammed the door behind him, and walked away. The duckling got up and dusted himself off. He looked over at Nosedive and grinned. "You're the one who saved me!"  
  
"Well, yeah, I didn't want to see you hurt by that Saurian creep. And to look on the bright side, falling on his face might have actually done good for his features."  
  
"That was a cool trick. I wish I could do that. I'd show those scaly misfits who's boss."  
  
Dive laughed, but then grew serious. "Don't. They might kill you. Just like they killed all the prisoners here."  
  
Nosedive never thought he'd feel pity for the murderers and rapists jailed here, but the thought of being fired upon while trapped in a cell with nowhere to run and no defense . . . it was just too horrible to imagine. "What's your name?" he asked, trying to get his mind off the subject.  
  
"My name is Sparrow Gyrfalcon. Friends call me Spar. What's yours?"  
  
"Nosedive Firedrake. Call me Dive. Do you have any idea where your parents are?"  
  
"Dead. Since I was three. What about yours?"  
  
"My mom is somewhere in this camp. My dad was - is in the military. Wherever he is. Haven't seen him for a long time."  
  
"Dive, what are we supposed to do here?"  
  
"We have to mine for ore. Hey, someone's coming! Be quiet!" Spar edged away from the cell entrance. Dive, being the elder, moved in front of him protectively. The Saurians passed by their cell and walked into the next one. Nosedive heard one Saurian say something to the ducks in the cell.   
  
"Governor Woodstin, you and your . . . children . . . your wife are to be . . . executed . . . for . . . and of anarchy against the Saurian . . . tomorrow at first morning light." The speech was longer, but Nosedive couldn't make out all the words. He heard crying out for mercy and a door slamming . . . footsteps fading away and a voice sobbing.  
  
Dive wasn't too young to know what was going to happen to the people in the cell next door. Sparrow was.   
  
"Oh . . . Saints!"  
  
"What's execute-sion?"  
  
"They're gonna be put to death, Spar. Governor Woodstin! He- he was so nice when he came to our school to visit- he helped so many of our people. Now he's gonna die? And his family too? His three daughters-no! This can't be happening!"   
  
"Dive, don't give up. Maybe Drake Ducaine will come and save us!"  
  
"No . . . Drake Ducaine-- well, if the Saurians came back, then . . . maybe he is real after all. Wing might be right, though. It could be just a legend."  
  
"You don't believe in him? He's my hero! Of course he's gonna save us."  
  
"I did believe in him, but now I don't know, Spar. If he is real, where is he now?"   
  
"Maybe he'll save Governor Woodstin tonight. And hide him and his family away."   
  
"I wish he would. You should sleep, Sparrow. I think tomorrow's gonna be a long day."  
  
Spar nestled up in the single bed and fell to sleep. There was a pallet of cloth on the floor for another prisoner to sleep on, and Dive insisted that Sparrow would not sleep on the floor since catching a cold while imprisoned by Saurians was the last thing the duckling needed. Nosedive pulled the blanket up over the duckling's shoulders, then leaned back against the bunk and looked up through the steel bars of the window and at the night sky. Instead of stars, there were clouds.  
  
Nosedive looked over at Sparrow who was half asleep, no worry or fear showing on his young face as he drifted into dreams. Spar murmured and closed his eyes. Without a word, Dive laid on the pallet, closed his eyes. This was no place to wish one's friends goodnight.' 

* * *  
  
  
  
The Saurian officer kicked Nosedive in the ribs, causing him to wake with a shattering fit of coughs. Sparrow was awake and kicking the Saurian's shins, furiously. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"  
  
The Saurian laughed harshly and pushed the duckling to the ground, not gently. "Take it easy, little warrior. You should save your energy for the labor ahead. Get up!" he yelled at Nosedive, kicking him once again.  
  
Dive struggled to get up while Spar launched himself onto the Saurian from behind. With a grunt that sounded more like an exasperated sigh, the Saurian, whose name was Roast, picked the little duck up and threw him into Nosedive who had just managed to catch his breath "Tell your feisty little friend that the next time he attempts to bite my tail, I'll not be so tolerant. Get up and follow me to the main mineshaft. We have some entertainment in store for you. An execution may harden up your tender emotions."  
  
Dive and Sparrow looked at each other, in horror at what they both knew what they were about to witness. Soon everyone was gathered into the mineshaft and forced to stare at an empty stadium. On the stadium, five gallows were built up. The crowd of prisoners, seeing the gallows suddenly knew what the 'entertainment' was.  
  
"Governor Woodstin, Cornelia Woodstin, Jamie, Amelia, and Hettie Woodstin are to be executed by hanging on charges of anarchy to the new Saurian empire."  
  
"No! Not Woodstin!"  
  
"Not his family! This isn't right!" another prisoner cried.  
  
"What do you want from us? Just take it and begone! You don't have to -"  
  
"SILENCE! Another word from any of you prisoners and one of the little girls will be tortured before she is killed."  
  
There was an immediate hush. Nobody doubted the severity of Saurian torture. A quick death was a merciful one. Although many doubted whether or not the Saurians would keep their word about not torturing the family before killing them, no-one was willing to take the risk.  
  
Only there was no risk to be taken. A Saurian that had been sent to fetch the prisoners to be executed had come back empty handed and with a sprung lock in his talons. "They've escaped, General. It looks like the work of the Resistance." Even though the Saurian whispered it, the word leaked out to the crowd and the General turned to face cheering prisoners. "SILENCE!" he bellowed.  
  
The crowd's jubilance melted away and blood ran cold at what the General had to say next. "Since our prisoners have been rescued, five of you shall die in their place!"  
  
Nosedive gripped Spar's shoulder and hid the boy behind him. Saurians fanned out through the crowd selecting and dragging their victims to the stadium. Dive willed himself to look up and his heart froze like ice as he saw his own mother standing among the gallows; her head being fitted into a noose.  
  
She looked over the crowd, searching for him. He raised his head and tried to meet her gaze. She still didn't see him. He knew more than anything that what his mother wanted was to die looking at one she loved. He ran, squeezing past prisoners. He arrived into the front of the crowd to see her turn her head in his direction. She smiled. She saw him. He looked at her, shaking his head in denial. No, she could not leave him this way.   
  
Julianna saw his anger and his fright. More importantly, she saw the hatred with which he looked at the Saurians standing ready to kill her and the other chosen victims. She shook her head once and made a motion of breaking an arrow in half. Nosedive understood.   
  
The temples of Shen, Saint of Peace, bore that symbol imprinted in stone. Julianna's motion made him aware of the fact that he could not stop what the Saurians were about to do, and if he tried, he would gain only his death. Hating her murderers, she motioned by drawing a circle around her heart, would only bring him more pain and blacken his heart.  
  
Nosedive knew that this was the truth. He swallowed a sob, determined to be brave for her. Julianna's eyes were brimmed with tears as well.  
  
He wanted to say goodbye, but he knew she'd never hear him through all the screams of terror and brutal laughter of the watching guards. She understood. Nosedive knew that much.   
  
The Saurian kicked the chair from under her and the rest of the guards on the scaffold followed suit with the other prisoners. Dive crumpled to the stone floor of the mineshaft, sobbing quietly. He had seen the peace in her eyes fade out into emptiness. All the sparkle of life and happiness that he and Wildwing had shared with her, was gone forever in just one instant. Nothing left but emptiness and memories.  
  
Nosedive felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Sparrow. "Dive- Did -- are you okay? What happened?" Spar was frightened.   
  
"My mother, Spar. She was up there."  
  
"Dive- I--" Sparrow looked up at the gallows and gave a small cry of terror.   
  
"No, no, Spar. Don't look." Sparrow was only too happy to comply. A Saurian nearby saw the two children, the older in grief.   
  
"What's wrong? You'd better get up before the General sees you."  
  
"One of them was his mom," said Spar forlornly, speaking for Nosedive, who was too upset to answer. The Saurian took Dive by the shoulders. Nosedive flinched, expecting a blow, but the Saurian didn't make any move to harm him.   
  
This Saurian's hands had no claws, unlike many other Saurians, and its fingers were long and slender. Its face was shaped like a serpent's and it's eyes were amber-colored, complimenting the Saurian's green skin. The Saurian had the familiar crown of the cobra, probably where the Saurian got his name, for his name was Cobran. Cobran gently wiped Dive's tears away.  
  
"Don't cry. She's at peace, now. Far from this." Nosedive and Sparrow looked up at him, stunned at his gentleness, a far cry from the other guards. Just then, another Saurian spotted them.  
  
"What's this?" roared the three-horned Saurian named Ripper, a rank higher above the other Saurian. Ripper charged toward them like a bull. "Cobran, get your scaly arse back to your work. I'll deal with this lot." Cobran reluctantly obeyed, not wanting to leave the children to Ripper's cruelty, but knowing death awaited those who disobeyed authority.  
  
Sparrow whimpered and Ripper seemed to take delight in this. "That's right you little brat. You better be afraid of me." Ripper raised a taloned fist to hit the duckling and was astonished and slightly amused when Nosedive, his tears dried, leapt to his feet and pushed Sparrow behind him.  
  
The horned Saurian chuckled. "You're quite the warrior, aren't you?"  
  
"N-no."  
  
The Saurian struck Nosedive hard across the face. "Listen, scum. When I tell you you're a warrior, that means, you're a warrior. No-one, says no to me."  
  
"Unless you're proposing to them, you ugly jack-ass," Nosedive muttered beneath his breath, earning himself another blow.  
  
"Now answer me." Ripper saw Nosedive turn his gaze to the gallows. "What are you looking at, scum? The corpses are no longer your concern. They'll be thrown into an ice hole at sunset. We don't like the smell of rotten eggs, and we don't like rotting ducks either." Ripper chortled at his own joke.   
  
Nosedive ignored the dig, and turned back. "Let me bury them."  
  
"Bury them?! Listen, we don't give a damn about your stupid beliefs. The Saints, or whoever you called them aren't real. Get over it."  
  
Dive felt a deep flash of anger and resentment. "The people you killed were innocent of any crime. Whatever reason you had for dragging them up in the first place to die in shame was bad enough, but to dishonor their bodies?" If it was one thing Dive had quickly learned about Saurians, it was that they were very superstitious. He decided to play on their fears a little. "Unless they are given their last honors, they'll haunt you until your scales rot. I suggest you let me bury them for your own good if not out of decency."  
  
"Are you trying to scare me?" Ripper snorted incredulously, but Dive's cold gaze made him shudder, nonetheless. "Allright, 'warrior'. Bury them. Alone. Be done by sunrise tomorrow, or suffer." Ripper, uneasy at first, then ashamed of his fear, made it sound like a command more than permission.  
  
Ripper spotted Sparrow, still hiding behind Nosedive, and took him by the arm, dragging him to work in the mines, involuntarily mindful of Nosedive's warning glare.  
  
All through the morning, noon, and rainy night, Nosedive dug the five graves for the innocent prisoners on the gallows. He was supplied with a shovel, but the ground was hard and frozen.   
  
It was dark, cold, and pouring by the time he was shoveling the dirt back in the graves. He shivered, feeling the freezing rain like icy daggers against his skin. Finally, he was done. The last shovel of dirt was smoothed, back into place. He could not leave any marker, for fear the General, furious one of his officers had been so easily manipulated, would order the graves dug up and do evil to the bodies of his mother and the other innocents who had died along with her.  
  
Nosedive dropped his shovel, and fell to his knees, exhausted and aching. He had done the right thing to bury them. They were martyrs, considered holy to the Saints. It was unacceptable for evil to be done to them after death, and was a tradition in Puckworld that all dead, good and bad alike, return to the soil honorably.  
  
"Mom," he whispered, placing a bleeding hand, chafed by the wooden handle, on her grave. "I'm sorry. This was all I could do."  
  
Once again, Dive knew she understood.   
  
He turned and looked up, feeling a presence towering over him. The Saurian, Cobran, draped a cloak over the young duck's shoulders and helped him up. Expecting to see a hard glare in the Saurian's eyes, that would render this all as a mockery of kindness, Dive was surprised to find only compassion.  
  
"Why are you helping me? I thought I was just 'Puckworldian scum' like the rest of you seem to think," Nosedive yelled above the wind, rain mixing with tears. The truth was, he didn't want to be helped. He felt overwhelming guilt for watching his mother and four other innocent people die for no reason, without doing anything to stop it.  
  
Stunned, Nosedive saw that the Saurian understood his pain. He didn't know how, but he felt it. But weren't the Saurians all members of an evil race that the Saints had fought back from seizing Puckworld? How could they be capable of sympathy and kindness?  
  
Nosedive, puzzled and grief-stricken, allowed himself to be guided to his cell. Sparrow was waiting for him already.  
  
Dive and Spar were given some bread and milk mixed up in a pan. It was bland, but it was better than the food he had received at the previous labor camp.  
  
"Dive, do you think Drake Ducaine released the Governor and his family?" Sparrow chirped, finishing his food.  
  
"No. It was the Resistance. Drake Ducaine wouldn't have let five innocent people die." Nosedive immediately regretted his tone of voice at the younger duck's crestfallen expression. He pushed the rest of his food toward Sparrow, having lost his appetite. "Sorry."  
  
"You're mad at the Resistance because your mom died."  
  
"No, I'm mad at myself. I froze. I was too afraid to even say goodbye."  
  
"That's only because you didn't want to," spoke Cobran. Nosedive looked up, surprised. Cobran had been so quiet, Dive hadn't even noticed the Saurian was there.  
  
"Why did you have to kill her? Or anybody? They were innocent."  
  
"I'm truly sorry for their deaths. I know what it is like to lose a parent. My mother- she was executed for killing a male who tried to r-rape her." Here, Cobran looked embarrassed, but continued. "Females have little respect in our society. Although the crime was her attacker's, she paid the price for defending herself."   
  
"Man, that's not right. I'm sorry," Nosedive murmured, closing his eyes. He tried not to imagine a world where his own mother would die in disgrace for merely trying to protect herself from harm. Nosedive saw his own pain in Cobran's eyes, and knew then, more than ever, that Cobran had seen his mother's death with the same feeling of guilt.   
  
Grateful that at least someone other than himself believed his mother had received injustice, Cobran reached through the bars and put a hand on Dive's shoulder. Before he could say a word, a voice rang out through the prison halls.   
  
"Warning. All Saurian soldiers and officers report to the barracks. Initiating laser probes in twenty minutes."  
  
"I must go. I hope your Resistance friends don't show up any time soon. These probes will certainly make things interesting for them. Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Cobran slipped away and down the hall to the soldiers' dormitory. Nosedive leaned back against the wall of the prison. Sparrow, shaken by the gruesome events of the day, insisted on sleeping on the floor, next to Dive, so they shared the pallet and fell into an exhausted sleep.  
  
Early in the morning, an alarm blared, causing Dive to wake up with a start. He shook Spar awake. Sparrow opened his eyes and sat up, wondering what was causing all the noise.  
  
Some Saurian officers ran down the hall, cursing and swearing oaths. Cobry ran by and Dive rushed to the bars to talk to him.   
  
"What's going on?" he whispered. Cobry motioned for him to sit down and be quiet. Dive went back to sit with Spar as Cobran ran after his comrades.  
  
Then there was an explosion. Dive and Sparrow ran to the window to see what was going on. The mine had been rigged with explosives in the night. Not all of them had gone off, so the Saurians were digging frantically to find them and put them out.  
  
"Dive, I'm scared. What if Cobran gets killed?"   
  
quot;I'm sure he'll be fine, Spar," consoled Dive. Worrying about a Saurian? What is happening to me? Dive thought to himself. But he looked on anxiously, hoping against hope, that they would find all of the explosives in time and that Cobry would not be harmed.   
  
The last explosive was destroyed before it went off. The Saurians cheered. Nosedive, relieved, felt like cheering along with them, but froze when he heard silence from the surrounding cells. Why should he cheer for the Saurians? The mines would be unstable now and more deaths would result from cave-ins and possibly hidden explosives. Then again, whoever was stupid enough to rig the mines was the one who made the situation worse. And now, Dive realized with a shudder, there might be punishment because of what the Resistance did.   
  
Nosedive was right. Because the Resistance had managed to get into a security controlled perimeter, General Dactylar, the very same who had ordered the execution of his mother along with four innocent people, was 'interrogating' certain people about the military.  
  
Dive had reason to fear. His father, Silverwing Firedrake, was in the military although he had been declared missing since Dive was six years old. That, unfortunately, was no exception.  
  
"Firedrake, step forward," said a Saurian officer, standing before the boys' cell. Sparrow threw his arms around Nosedive's waist and held on tightly, too afraid to let go.  
  
"Spar, let go, you'll get into trouble." The Saurian moved forward to separate the boys. Dive pushed Sparrow behind him. "Please, sir, he's just a child – Oooh!!!" The Saurian struck the teenager across the face with his armored gauntlet. Nosedive crumpled to his knees holding his face in his hands.  
  
"Now, little one. Back away or I'll do worse than that."  
  
Spar retreated to the back of the cell and watched, trembling, as Dive was hauled to his feet and dragged out of the cell. "Please don't hurt him!" he cried as the cell door was swung shut and locked. The Saurian officer looked at the duckling with something that almost looked like sympathy despite it's coldness.  
  
Then, without another word, the Saurian twisted Dive's arm behind him and took him to General Dactylar. Cobran was just up ahead talking to one of his comrades, when he saw the officer and his captive. His amber eyes grew wide with both concern and horror, which Nosedive did not like at all.  
  
"You're interrogating him?"  
  
"His father is in the military, soldier. Might've told the boy something while he was around."  
  
"I doubt it, Grunt," argued Cobry. But Grunt, the Saurian officer, dismissed him.Cobry looked at Nosedive and their eyes met.   
  
"Spar," Dive mouthed, and Cobran nodded, understanding, and went off to console the ten-year-old. Nosedive felt a little relieved that Cobran was aware of his plight and would look over Sparrow until he got back from his 'interrogation' . . . if he survived it.  
  
"General Dactylar, this is the one you sent for. Nosedive Firedrake."  
  
"The one whose brother escaped from the other camp?"  
  
"Yes," said Grunt, in an indifferent tone.  
  
"Wildwing- he escaped?"  
  
"Don't think for a moment he's fortunate. If he is seen, he is to be killed on the spot."  
  
"NO!! You can't do that!"  
  
"Can't I? Tie him down."  
  
Grunt dragged Dive to a table and lifted the young man, forcing him to lie on it. Nosedive struggled valiantly, although there was no hope for escape should he break free of the Saurian's cruel grip. "Stay still. Don't make it worse for you than it already is," Nosedive heard Grunt hiss as the Saurian finished adjusting the straps.  
  
"I don't like torturing your people. I really don't," General Dactylar said, although he grinned as if he meant the exact opposite. He reached into the fireplace and pulled out burning red tongs. "Ready?" Nosedive saw the burning tongs. The sharp remark on his tongue melted away as he realized that Dactylar meant business. No answer did he have, but silence.  
  
Grunt peeled Nosedive's ragged shirt from his body and stood back. "You have five seconds to tell me what you know about the Resistance or the military."  
  
"I don't know anything about them. Dude, no! - AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" The pain in his shoulder was unbearable. Nosedive thought he was going to die. He cried out for mercy. It was not until he opened his eyes that he realized that the hot iron had been removed a few seconds ago. It still hurt as if it was there.  
  
"Do you want to feel such pain again?"  
  
"Take a wild guess," Dive growled back. He groaned as the weight of the General's heavy hand struck him across the face.  
  
"Then answer me truthfully. What did your father tell you about the military?"  
  
"I was just a kid - - AAAHHHH!! Stop it!! I have nothing to tell you!" Nosedive tried twisting away, but it helped little.  
  
"When my grandfather told me about Drake Ducaine and what he did to our people, I was only three and have not yet forgotten," said the General, almost conversationally after removing the hot iron from the boy's chest.  
  
"That's different. You were reminded about it throughout your life. I had only six years with my father."  
  
"I had only four years with my grandfather and I remember everything he said."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
"You should be able to remember all that your father told you if you truly loved him."  
  
Dive scoffed. "What would you know about love?" He was rewarded with yet another cuff, but he continued on. "I remember what my father told me. He promised he'd always come home to us. And one night, he didn't, and then the next. We never saw him again. They never even found his body, and they never told us what could have happened. I'd like for nothing more than to know the truth."  
  
"Touching. But a stupid cover-up. Don't expect me to believe it. Everyone else has known something."  
  
"Well I'm not everyone, am I?"  
  
"We'll see about that." The burning pain came again, directly below the preceding burn so the pain that had dulled in the latter started anew. Dive could not help from crying out again, but he refused to let himself beg for mercy. At last, he felt the blistering heat withdraw and he opened his eyes, letting the tears fall.  
  
"What do you know about the Resistance?"  
  
"You n-never give up, do you?"  
  
"Our spy, Madame DeCoi, has confirmed that your brother has joined up with the Resistance. What do you know about them, if anything?"  
  
"N-nothing. S-same as before."  
  
"Really? Nothing? How does your brother know about them?"  
  
"Man, I don't know, okay?!" Nosedive moaned. The pain of the burns was making it hard for him to breathe.  
  
"How would your brother manage to escape? Who in the Resistance might be a friend?"  
  
"Hello! Are we talking in the same language? I . . . don't . . . know!!"  
  
The burning pain came yet again, with the whole burning iron bar pressed against his side.   
  
Nosedive gave a tormented wail and writhed in his bonds. "NOOO, STOP! PLEASE STOP!!"  
  
"I'll burn you until you answer me. What base did your father work at?"  
  
"I won't tell you!!"  
  
The iron bar was lifted and placed back into the fireplace. Dive trembled, senses reeling with pain and nausea. Was it over? Were they satisfied? Not a chance.  
  
"Once it's heated up again, I'll show you no mercy unless you answer my questions."  
  
"You-you'll r-run out of room to burn me. You'll h-have to give up th-then."  
  
"If I run out of room, I'll start right at the very beginning. Right here." General Dactylar said, tapping the burnt area where the tongs had first made contact with a talon. Nosedive flinched and tried to twist away. But the bonds still held him tightly. "All I ask is that you don't die before I finish."  
  
"I c-can and will tell you nothing."  
  
"Then you'll suffer for it."  
  
"S-so will you."  
  
General Dactylar struck the boy across the face with his talons, even harder than before, leaving nail marks along with a quickly forming bruise. Nosedive did not even bother to open his eyes again. He knew what was coming. But before the burning iron could touch his body again, General Dactylar was hailed by an officer. "What is it, Sala? It had better be important. I'm in the middle of an interrogation."  
  
"It's our spy. She claims she knows how to get past codes to top secret military records."  
  
"Escort her to my office, Sala. If I find that what she says is true, I'll contact Lord Dragaunus. You, Mander! Take this boy to his cell. He is of no use to us now except for hard labor."  
  
Nosedive's straps were undone and he was lifted from the table. His shirt was pulled on over his burns and he allowed himself to be dragged through the hall toward his cell. Cobran saw them coming and opened the door. Mander shoved Dive in and he collapsed to the ground. Cobry began to close and lock the door while Mander walked back to his post. Once the other Saurian guard was out of sight, he opened the door and went inside.  
  
Nosedive protested gently as Cobran lifted him and laid him gently on the bed  
  
"What did they do to you?" Cobry demanded, concerned.  
  
"No, no. You'll get in trouble. You shouldn't be in here."  
  
"I won't get in trouble. My next shift is not until three hours and the others are busy checking the mine tunnels for further damage. Speaking of damage - - Vectensia, Dragoness of Death, curse them! Look what they've done to you!" Cobran's blood ran cold as he surveyed the burns and blood on the young duck's body.  
  
"Where's Spar? He's not here . . . where did they take him??" Nosedive demanded in a hoarse whisper, and struggled to get up. Cobran pushed him down, firmly and gently.  
  
"Shhh, nobody took him anywhere. He's out working with the others. No, no. Don't try to get up. I've assured him that I'd take care of you. He'll be allright. You'd have been separated today anyway. He works in the main tunnel. You were to work on the left."  
  
"The tunnel, as in the mine? Isn't that unstable?"  
  
"No. The main tunnel as well as the others is as solid as rock. They have all the workers near the entrance in case something does happen. Now let's get some water on your burns."  
  
Cobran took care of Nosedive's wounds, applying water to the burns and wrapping his chest in sterile cloth to prevent infection and to lessen the pain. "I wish I could do more."  
  
Nosedive smiled despite his wounds. "I'll be okay. Thanks."  
  
"Don't thank me. I've done nothing."  
  
"Yes you have."  
  
"What? What have I done to help you?"  
  
"Look at everyone else here. They hate and fear any and all Saurians, as if all of you are evil. I see it in their faces everyday. No other emotions. I'm glad I don't have to look at you like that. And that Spar doesn't either."  
  
"A silly thing to be grateful to me for. But I appreciate it."  
  
"Cobry, you don't suppose the Resistance will rig the mines again do you?"  
  
"I can't say for sure. But I hope they realize it's hurting you and your people more than us Saurians. If not, you have some pretty stupid people in the Resistance."  
  
"Hmm. I guess so. Speaking of which, my brother, Wildwing . . .will the guards find him?" Nosedive asked, anxiously.  
  
"I don't know but, for your sake and his, I hope not."  
  
"Does anyone know about you talking to me and Sparrow?"  
  
"There's nothing wrong with talking to you. You're prisoners, not spies."  
  
Suddenly, an explosion shook the ground and another alarm went off. "The mines!"  
  
"Were they rigged again?" asked Nosedive, alarmed.  
  
"I don't know. We'd best hurry -"  
  
"Sparrow!" Ignoring his pain, Dive got up, threw his shirt on, and ran past Cobran, through the open cell door, and toward the mines. Cobran raced after him.  
  
"Wait! Stay beside me. You'll be killed if they see you running loose." Cobran grabbed Dive's arm, not un-gently, and they soon reached the mines. There was some light shining in the depths of the main tunnel and voices drifted out.  
  
"What about this one?"  
  
"No, he's dead. I checked already. Wait! There's someone over here! She's breathing. Just a broken arm by the looks of it. Take her to the sickbay. She's still valuable."  
  
Two Saurians emerged carrying a stretcher with an unconscious female on it. "How many?" asked Cobry. It was all he needed to ask.  
  
"Not that many, fortunately. Seven dead and six wounded so far. The other workers have been transported back to their cells. It was a bad explosion but at least we got most of them out in time." The Saurian speaking looked over at Nosedive. "What's he doin' out?"  
  
"I was guarding him in his cell after his 'interrogation'. He was alone, so I didn't want to leave him unguarded. Besides, maybe he can help with the workers trapped inside."  
  
"Well, he better not try and make a break for it, or it's the General who'll be breakin' him." The other Saurian said with a nasty chuckle as he and his comrade took the female duck to the sickbay. Dive stuck his tongue out once their backs were turned. Cobry grunted disapproval, but could not resist a small smile as he escorted Dive into the mine.  
  
"You, with the prisoner. Start digging over there."  
  
In no time, Cobran and Nosedive were busy digging through the rubble to find any sign of life. A Saurian was back with a report.  
  
"We have four hundred fifty seven people at this camp as of yesterday including the prisoner working with you and those six you've transported to the infirmary. We're still missing eight. We've no word from you of the dead."  
  
"We've discovered seven so far that are dead; five bodies near the entrance and two more further down. The last one missing one is surely dead by now."  
  
"Keep searching. I'll send some other soldiers to dispose of the bodies."  
  
Dive felt a lump in his throat. He hadn't had a look at any of the dead, and was not sure whether or not Spar was among them. But soon, he had his answer.  
  
A faint coughing sounded from the other side of the rubble. Nosedive turned to the other Saurians. "Hey, over here! I hear somebody!"  
  
"Watch the way you talk to us, you little . . . wait a minute, you said someone's over there?"  
  
"Move back. You better be right for your own sake." Despite what the Saurian officer growled, he looked relieved that they had found a live prisoner. The Saurian yanked Nosedive back and he and the others dug through the debris. Soon, a dusty, coughing Sparrow was pulled from the dark side of the crumbled wall of rocks.  
  
Dive wanted to run to his friend, but Cobry's eyes told him to stay put.  
  
"Damn. A broken leg. Ah, well, he's young. He'll heal fast. Take him to the sickbay and set it. And take the other one as well. If he just came out of interrogation as Cobran said, he'll need to be treated. We can't afford to lose any more laborers than we already have."  
  
Cobry lifted Sparrow and carried him out of the tunnel. Dive followed, but was quickly grabbed from behind and forced to his knees. "Not so fast. I'll not chance you running off while our backs are turned." Roast, one of the few Saurians Dive knew by name, forced Nosedive to walk ahead of him with his wrists tied behind his back.  
  
At the infirmary, a female Saurian dabbed at Nosedive's face and burns with stinging medicine and rebandaged his chest. "How is he?" asked Dive anxiously, looking over at Spar. Sparrow had slipped into unconsciousness an hour after they had arrived at the infirmary.  
  
"He only has a broken leg. He'll be okay in a couple weeks. We have advanced medical treatment that heals much faster than the natural process. Dactylar insisted we be prepared." The female Saurian placed the medicine on a shelf and, turning back, bumped into another Saurian officer. He cursed and raised a fist to hit her. Cobran stepped in and deftly twisted one of the officer's arms behind him.  
  
"Wouldn't want to harm the doctor now would we? Do you know how to handle broken bones and cuts? Because you'll need to if anything happens to her, Assistant Medic. Strike her- ever - and your first patient will be yourself." Cobran released the officer who stumbled, cursing but slightly paler, into the corridor that lead to the soldiers dorm.  
  
"Are you allright, Jaxara?"  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Cobran. You should know by now that I'm not worth the trouble you'll get in if that officer reports you."  
  
Cobran gently caressed her face and drew her close. "You are worth dear life to me, Jax. Don't try to convince yourself otherwise."  
  
Jaxara's eyes lingered in his for a brief moment then tore herself away from his gentle embrace. "I am a woman. It is my duty to serve you. No woman is worth the life of any Saurian male." She turned and walked down the hall to care for the other patients. Cobran sighed and turned to Nosedive.   
  
"She thinks too lowly of herself. I told you before that the calls of our society deems women as little better than servants. At one point in her life she wouldn't accept that. But over the years, she was broken. I tried to keep the fire alive in her. I failed."  
  
"No, Cobry, you didn't --"  
  
"Look at her! She would have let herself be hit by that officer if I hadn't interfered. If she was the Jaxara I know, she would have ripped his head off and spat down his throat." Dive winced at that. "But she just stood there and waited."  
  
"She still has courage. S-she's just . . . afraid to let it show. Fortunately for that officer dude."  
  
"I can't let her live like this. She's miserable. I wish . . . " Cobran looked after her forlornly.  
  
"I guess she's a prisoner here like the rest of us, huh Cobry?"  
  
Cobran looked from Nosedive, to the unconscious Sparrow, and then in the direction Jaxara had walked off in. He clenched a taloned fist. "No. I refuse to let it be this way any longer," he growled angrily.  
  
"Cobry, what do you mean?" Nosedive was taken aback. Was it something he said?  
  
Just then, a guard entered and told Cobran to take Nosedive back to his cell. Cobran took Dive by the arm, in a pretense rough manner and 'dragged' him towards the prison building. "I'm going to find a way to get you three and myself out of this camp. And off the planet," he whispered as they walked along in the darkness.  
  
"I-I can't go with you, Cobry. My bro -"  
  
"Nosedive, you can't wait for the Resistance to come and release you, if Wildwing's even joined yet. They won't breach a high security system just to rescue someone's kid brother. If you want to get out of here, you're going to have to come with me."  
  
"I can't just leave. The General will make the others suffer. Take Sparrow and yourself as far as to can from here, but leave me."  
  
"You may be killed or tortured even more. I won't be here to protect you."  
  
"I'm not leaving Wing," Nosedive said firmly.  
  
"I'll talk to you in your cell. Later tonight."  
  
"What about Jaxara?"  
  
"I'll talk to her."  
  
"She won't tell anyone?"  
  
"Not if she still loves me."  
  
"She better."  
  
Cobran nudged Nosedive cutting off his next question. They walked past the guards at the entrance and down the hall to the cells. Cobran opened the cell door and thrust Nosedive inside under careful watch of the guards. They turned away as soon as Cobran had shut the door.  
  
"Stay awake. I'll come to you later. I'm going to talk to Jax."  
  
Nosedive nodded and curled up against the wall. Cobran walked down the hall and out the door leaving Nosedive alone. But not for long.  
  
Footsteps sounded through the hall. Many footsteps. Nosedive stared listlessly at the ground, thinking it was just another group of soldiers headed outside to check the mines. The opening of his cell door caused him to glance up sharply.  
  
"The Resistance strikes again, eh?" sneered General Dactylar. "There's a spy around here, Firedrake. That's how they released Governor Woodstin. That's how they managed to breach the security and slip in unnoticed to bomb the mines. I don't like it."  
  
"Well, I don't think it's very bright either, so why get on my case about it?"  
  
With a deft motion, General Dactylar's talons snaked out and yanked Nosedive upright by the collar. "Glad we agree. So you won't mind about being bait for the Resistance? Not that you have a choice, but I am hoping you don't mind," the General said, in mock politeness. The other men chuckled sinisterly.  
  
"Why choose me for bait? Just out of curiosity."  
  
"If your brother's truly part of the Resistance as Madame DeCoi insisted, he'll rush out into the open to save his dear little brother, don't you agree? Perhaps he'll bargain with us; betray the Resistance to ensure your safety."  
  
"He wouldn't. He knows better. The only thing you'll gain from him by killing me is a deathcurse on your heads - and one I hope he carries out."  
  
Dactylar's face grew dark, but his smooth voice did not betray his anger. "Whoever said we were going to kill you? I said you were tomorrow's entertainment. A flogging would be most entertaining."  
  
Nosedive gasped. "A-a flogging!? That's torture, not an execu-"  
  
"Exactly. I don't want you dead yet. And I want your brother to have time to think while he's watching your torture. And to make sure you don't do any disappearing acts, the laser probes will keep your Resistance fri-"  
  
"They're not my friends," spat Nosedive, defiantly.  
  
The General let go of Nosedive, and weakened, the boy slipped to the floor. "Very well. Don't try anything. You'll be flogged tomorrow night. Sweet dreams."  
  
The Saurians again laughed at this and walked out of the cell, slamming the barred door behind them. Nosedive shuddered as if poison was running through his veins. They had given him an execution. He had felt the weight of a lash across his back a good many times in the mines and after each beating, in his weakened state, he had felt like dying. They had called it torture, but it was an execution nonetheless. A slow and painful one.  
  
An hour later, Cobran found the fifteen-year-old curled up with his back to the wall and trembling. "Nosedive, what happened?"  
  
"They-they're going to torture me tomorrow. In front of e-everyone."  
  
"No! I won't let them."  
  
"Cobran, listen to me. Don't let this interfere with taking Spar and Jaxara out of here. Please. General Dactylar wants the Resistance and he wants them bad. I'll be the diversion you need to slip out unnoticed."  
  
"I won't let you do this. You'll die."  
  
"If - if you take me out of here, someone else will pay in my place. Someone else who is innocent will suffer -"  
  
"You are innocent!" Cobran hissed, grief strangling his voice.  
  
"Cobran . . . I wish . . . " Cobran listened, but all that followed was quiet sobbing.   
  
"If anyone deserves to die it is the ones who made the lies that brought this evil to Puckworld. For years my ancestors told me that the Puckworldians were a savage, ruthless race, that they'd harm us if we didn't get them first. And yet when I see you and your - your will to understand, I can't help wondering who the real savages are. My people are a bitter and violent race. You are the only real friend I've ever had. I can't lose you."  
  
"I can't leave Puckworld. Not when it's like this, and not without Wing. It isn't right. "  
  
"If you join the Resistance, maybe you can change all of this."  
  
"The Resistance? Why? So I can rig some more mines? Cause more people to be killed and tortured for information?"  
  
"It wasn't the Resistance that rigged the mines. I found out from Jaxara who was tending one of the General's bodyguard who got hit from debris during the explosion. The medicine she made him drink was 30% alcohol. Loosened his tongue quite a bit, I'd say.  
  
"Anyway, it was all an elaborate lie. He staged the whole thing so you prisoners would want to betray the Resistance. He thought you and your people's reaction would be worth the loss of any who died. The Resistance did release the Governor and his family. Dactylar wants them, bad. He's furious they're powerful enough to slip through Saurian security and he's afraid it will happen again.   
  
"We have found other rebel camps, but never that of the Resistance. Our spy, Madame Decoi, can't very well help Dactylar or the Overlord because security is too tight to let her in and out as she pleases. General Dactylar had the idea to call off the hunt for your brother because he wanted him to have a chance to find and join the Resistance. So he could use you to lure them out."  
  
"That son of a . . . "  
  
"Precisely. The Resistance is General Dactylar's personal goal. He intends to find the secret headquarters and kill off everyone he finds no matter what the price  
  
"I can't let him use me for that. But if I leave . . . someone else will pay."  
  
"When are you to be . . . " Cobran couldn't say the word.  
  
"Tomorrow night."  
  
"I won't leave without you. I've found a ship. Jaxara and Sparrow will meet me at the hangar and we can use the built in lasers to -- "  
  
"No. Cobry, listen. You can't just swoop down out of the sky and save me. It will put you in greater danger. I'll be the diversion. They'll be watching me. You can escape."  
  
"Nosedive, I can't just turn my back on you."  
  
"If you and Jaxara and Spar get caught and killed trying to rescue me, that will hurt me worse than any torture General Dactylar can inflict upon me. It would be in vain anyway. I could never find the Resistance Headquarters any more than I could leave my bro."  
  
"Are - are you sure you won't come with us?" Cobran's voice was heavy with sorrow.  
  
"Where do you plan on going?"  
  
"We will travel as far from this world as we can. You may never hear from us again."  
  
"Good luck, Cobry. I won't forget you."  
  
"Your mind is made up, then. I will never forget you, Firedrake." Cobran and Nosedive clasped hands through the bars.  
  
"Warning. All soldiers and officers report to the barracks. Initiating laser probes in twenty minutes," called a Saurian voice over the intercom.  
  
Cobran turned and walked down the hall of the prison. He did not look back. Nosedive wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  
  
Nosedive leaned back against the wall of the prison and looked up at the sky through the barred window. The stars were shining brightly.  
  


TO BE CONTINUED . . . .


	2. Darkness Falls 2

"Bring the prisoner out," barked the General from the platform. Two Saurian guards emerged from inside the prison dragging Nosedive between them.  
  
Nosedive was terrified, but he kept a defiant posture, and refused to let himself show his fear. The Saurians dragging him forward faced the crowd on the platform, each holding on to one of his arms with bruising force.   
  
The young prisoner shivered in the cold night air. His shirt had been torn from his back when he had been dragged out of his cell. His golden hair draped forward over his chest and gently stirred in the wind. His mother's hair. People had always commented on how much he looked like his mother, Julianna.   
  
She had searched for him, knowing he was there watching. He found himself searching the crowd for her, even though he knew she was dead. She's with the Saints, he thought. He turned his head to look at the stars, which were shining brightly that night. It was breathtakingly beautiful. If only he could reach . . .   
  
CRACK!!   
  
Nosedive gave a sharp cry as the barbed whip slashed across his body, then struggled to regain his composure. It hurt far worse than he had anticipated, but he fought to keep from crying out again. Lash after lash after lash made their marks across his back, sending blood trickling to the floor of the platform.   
  
He stood his ground, trying to be defiant, trying to be strong, but it kept slipping away, and the more the barbed whip cut at him, the more he wanted to be a child again, to be able to cry out unashamedly.   
  
I can't give in. I can't let them break me. I can't . . .   
  
"Aaaaaahh!!" Nosedive couldn't keep it up any longer. The pain was becoming more acute, the barbs shredding his skin with the force of the blows.   
  
A streak across the sky distracted him for a moment, and in that moment, he knew Cobry, Sparrow, and Jax had made their escape. He lowered his eyes. Judging by the unchanging ferocity of the whip blows, and since a quick scan at his surroundings showed him that no-one was looking up, he knew they had not noticed anything. They hadn't known what to look for. But if Nosedive had stared at the sky for just seconds more than he did . . . they might have.  
  
A final blow across his back, a final sob of pain, and the beating stopped. Not fooled, Nosedive waited. Was this a new game they were playing with him, or was it over?  
  
A bucket of ice water was dumped over his body, drenching him and making the night air even colder. Blood mingled with water and ran freely down his back. At a signal from the General, he was dragged from the platform.   
  
"He will be likewise tortured tomorrow night and the next, until the Resistance answers our demand to surrender. You will now be escorted to your cells."   
  
Nosedive was flung into his cell, and landed in a heap on the cold floor. New blood filled his wounds and new pain filled his heart. He prayed to the Saints that Cobry would make it safely, that Wildwing hadn't been watching his humiliating torture. Painfully he drew himself to his hands and knees and crawled forward to his ragged pallet in the corner of his cell.   
  
He laid down on his side, trying to ignore the burning fire across his back. Despite the pain and promise of more tomorrow, his heart was comforted that Cobry had succeeded in his and his friends' escape so far. Nosedive, weary beyond endurance, slipped into an fitful sleep.   
  
Nosedive opened his eyes an hour later and hissed in pain as a pair of hands shook him awake. He dared not look up, trembling. Was it tomorrow already?  
  
"Wake up. Come on, we haven't got all night."   
  
Nosedive looked up, wincing as the throbbing renewed as he moved his body. "What - who-?" he croaked dryly.  
  
"We've come to get you out of here. Some Saurian, Cobran Dragon-something, told us how to breach the system. With these." The duck, who was only two years older than Nosedive and who had feathers of dusty gray and hair of golden brown, held up a flat metal disc. Embedded in the middle of the disc was a Beryllium chip. Nosedive had seen these devices and how they worked before. Saurians used them to control the panels, including the doors of the cells and the security systems throughout the prison.  
  
"Come on. I'll help you up. My name's Osprey. Cobran -what his name told me about you. But there's no time to explain. We have to free the others."  
  
"Good. Cause' I wasn't gonna leave without them. Not to that - that monster, Dactylar," Nosedive spat.  
  
"We'll rejoin the others in the next prison hall. With luck-might I add, incredible luck, we'll all be out of here before the Saurians awaken - and realize they're locked in their own headquarters.\ "  
  
Nosedive grinned as he watched Osprey work on the other panels that would open all the cell doors in the wing of the prison. "How did you manage to do that?"  
  
"Anything's possible when you're a hacker. Cutting off Dactylar's frequency signals from reaching the V.S. (Viewer Screen = Television) channels, for instance. They were recording your torture to show on all the electronic screens in Puckworld for the Resistance to see. We made sure the signal never got through to anybody."   
  
Nosedive shuddered, thinking of Wing having to watch him be tortured, not able to do a thing about it. He knew it would kill Wildwing as sure as he knew it would kill him if he saw his older brother being tortured. "Thank the Saints you were successful," he murmured. " That would have sucked major big time."   
  
The cells slid open and the prisoners stumbled out, dazed and bewildered. Osprey turned to them. "Okay, we're going to get you all to safety. All we ask is that you trust us." The prisoners, still in a daze, nodded their heads in assent. They followed Osprey, who supported the injured Nosedive through various hallways; men, women and children, quiet as mice. Either they were all prepared for such an occurrence, or terrified mute.  
  
They suddenly heard battle noises not too far away. Osprey rushed ahead to scout. He came back; not happy. "Shit! The Saurians overrode the locking command in their HQ. Gannet and the others are in trouble. Nosedive, you take the others out of here. There's an old route in the fallen city -"  
  
"I can't leave you. We shouldn't separate," Nosedive argued, terrified of being left alone, in charge of prisoners who would look to him for their lives . . . lives that would surely be lost if he made a single mistake.  
  
"Okay. Then you'll have to fight."   
  
"If we don't, they'll hunt us to no end," spoke out a burly prisoner. "And if we defeat them all, we'll acquire weapons to protect ourselves."   
  
"Well; said, friend. Let's fight!" cried another prisoner. The male and female prisoners in good condition left the children, elderly, and injured in the safety of the corridor under the watchful eyes of Nosedive and rushed forward, swiftly and deadly their focused vengeance, coming from behind the enemy. Soon the Saurian guard had fallen and the prisoners looked warily about, gathering weapons and tending to the injuries of other prisoners who had fallen in the fight and of those who had been recovered from the infirmary from the last mine collapse.  
  
Nosedive, keeping his balance with one hand braced on the wall, was suddenly set upon by two patrol guards who had heard the commotion and ran too late to help win the battle. They tackled Nosedive and all three of them crashed to the floor. Nosedive, in pain, but furious, threw punches that hit, but did not seem to hurt.  
  
By then, Gannet and Osprey had seen his plight and rushed over. The two ducks made short work of Nosedive's antagonists. The man in charge of the rebels, Gannet, helped the boy up and steadied him while he swayed unsteadily, his back throbbing.  
  
"Now, what, young friend?" Gannet asked Osprey.   
  
"You said you knew where an old escape route was, Gannet?" asked Osprey.  
  
"Yes, in the cellar, the entrance hidden by a few planks of wood. It was blown apart by a few members of the Brotherhood of the Blade in the escape of 3085 (earth years = 1945; Puckworld is older than the planet Earth). Of course the Saurians have no idea about it."  
  
"Someone should take the people through the escape tunnel and into the city. We might be able to free the others another way than manual overrides. We need to be quick, now that they know we're here."  
  
"The fastest way I see that is shutting down the entire power grid."  
  
"I'll go with Osprey. Anyone else care to join us?" spoke a former prisoner, named Kestrel.  
  
Nosedive and two others volunteered; a young man with silver and white mottled feathers, named Gull, and a middle aged female with golden-brown feathers and dark brown hair in a braid, named Magpie. Irwin, another brave soul, offered to take the others safely through the tunnel. So they parted ways, each heading for freedom, none knowing if they'd succeed in the end.  
  
Nosedive helped Osprey with the panels, while Gull, Magpie, Kestrel and Gannet fought off the guards.  
  
By the time the General had been roused by his personal guards and by the time he raced, fuming into the corridor behind Nosedive and Osprey who were finishing shutting off the last security systems, all of his zealously guarded slaves and workers were gone, the only trace of them, were fading cheers as they stormed from the hellish prison and into the sheltering arms of the fallen city.  
  
Gull, Gannet, Magpie, and Kestrel finished off the last of the guards and turned to find General Dactylar's men swarming all over Nosedive and Osprey. They intercepted and after another brief and fierce battle, only one Saurian was left to stand before the rebels that had been hiding in his own prison, inside the souls of those he had deemed weak and broken; mere shadows waiting to dissolve in the light of the glorious new Saurian empire.  
  
The General's snarled and drew his sword. "You," He hissed pointing at Nosedive, "Just you."  
  
Nosedive pulled a sword from the scabbard of an unconscious guard and staggered forward to take the challenge, although he was so exhausted and in such pain, he could barely lift the sword. The General laughed, mockingly.  
  
He felt Magpie's hand on his arm. "You don't have to fight him."   
  
"He killed my mother."  
  
It was all that had to be said. Magpie let him go.  
  
Nosedive's eyes glowered like a tiger's. He held the blade up, fueled by anger, ready to advance. Then, the ground beneath them shook. The prison's foundation began to crumble. General Dactylar cursed, flung aside his weapon, and ran for the hangar.  
  
"NO!! Come back here, you damn coward!!" Nosedive rushed forward. Strong arms held him back and pain coursed through his welts, sending him into a world of agony. He collapsed in Gannet's arms, overworked and exhausted, his adrenaline finally subsiding. Gannet lifted the boy's slender frame and placed him on his broad shoulders. Together they all ran from the crumbling prison, not daring to look behind them until they had reached the safety of the shadows.  
  
Irwin beckoned to them from behind a column of stone. Wordlessly they followed him to an underground annex and finally into a huge space. Lights from torches shone on insignias on the walls. Nosedive, barely conscious, heard Kestrel catch his breath in awe.  
  
" SAINTS!! Do you know what this place is, Irwin?!"  
  
" Hush!! The Saurians will hear us!" hissed a frightened duck, tending to a wounded comrade.  
  
" No. The prison camp was destroyed, by my guess, caused by a sensory overload or overheated generator, and Dactylar along with it, hopefully. We are safe for now and especially here," spoke Kestrel.  
  
"This place is a miracle! Emergency food and medical supplies, water, lights, weapons, a communication system. I don't know if the comm. system works; it's pretty old, but we can probably fix it up. Besides that, we have everything we ever needed!" declared Irwin.  
  
" For what?"  
  
"To become the Second Resistance."  
  
"The Second Resistance? I'm not surprised in the least. I probably never will be at anything after this. Imagine finding what detectives and investigators have been searching for forever! The former H.Q. of the Brotherhood of the Blade!" breathed Gannet.  
  
That was the last thing Dive heard before the world went black.  
  
Nosedive groaned and opened his eyes. He was lying on a pallet, on his chest. Someone was dabbing fresh ointment on his cuts. Alarmed at not knowing his surroundings, he sat up too quickly, and cried out at the pain in his wounds.  
  
" Easy there," admonished a female's voice.  
  
"Wha . . . where am I?"  
  
" It's allright, Nosedive. You're safe now. You've been unconscious for two days. Here, hold still," Magpie gently pushed him back down.  
  
"Two days?! Aiy! Ouch!"  
  
"We were worried for a while you wouldn't make it. But it's apparent now that you will. Oh, and we're going to be the Second Resistance! It's decided!"  
  
" What happened to Wing? Wildwing Firedrake, my older bro? H-he's in the First Resistance."  
  
"I-I'm afraid the First Resistance was destroyed. There were survivors, your brother included."  
  
Nosedive breathed a sigh of relief, but pain still crossed his face when he thought of all the other deaths. Magpie continued. "Dragaunus found them out yesterday. They were betrayed by a spy, Lucretia DeCoi. One of the survivors, Canard, is looking for new recruits for a full strike against the Master Tower. He could use someone like you."  
  
"I suppose he'd have to let me in. I am his best friend's kid brother."  
  
"And a brave lad, if I ever knew one. Tell him about how fiercely you fought alongside us, even in your wounded state."  
  
"Canard? He'd never believe it."  
  
"Ah, but we will always believe in you. You befriended a Saurian, who in turn gave us the key to free an entire prison camp and the key to free even more."  
  
"I'll never forget what you did to help me. You risked your lives to save me along with the other prisoners. I insisted on fighting Dactylar, so I probably got you in more danger than you'd ever would have been in the first place."  
  
Magpie laughed and began to wrap soft bandages around Nosedive's torso. " Nevertheless, we gained many of our people's freedom and made a fine friend. So I suppose you wish to find your brother and Canard."  
  
"I had better if they were last seen here. Who knows where they'll be in the next few days."  
  
"Take care. And if you see Dragaunus, give him a kick in the scales for me."  
  
"No arguments there."  
  
Nosedive set off alone, advised by Osprey, Gull, and Gannet, the leader of the Second Resistance to stick to the shadows and to avoid puncha drones which were still plentiful. Nosedive knew he'd find Wildwing, something deep in his soul told him he would.   
  
As he traveled through the ruined city, he kept wary of the puncha drones and made sure he wasn't followed, lest he accidentally lead the Saurians towards Canard and Wildwing's hideaway.   
  
Luck soon caught up with him one day later when he came upon a certain red-headed duck kicking the crap out of two puncha drones. A third one was creeping up from behind her. Nosedive picked up a throwing-sized piece of debris and with either incredible luck or good aim, hurled it into the drone's blaster just before it pulled the trigger. The stone lodged in the blaster nozzle caused the drone to blow itself up.   
  
The red-head turned at the sound of the explosion and saw Nosedive standing next to the remaining scrap metal of the drone, proud as a rooster. She couldn't resist smiling. But they raced into a nearby alley, not wanting any further trouble.  
  
"What's your name?" asked the red-head.  
  
"Nosedive Firedrake."  
  
"Mallory McMallard, officer of Puckworld's Special Forces. Wait - did you say Firedrake?"  
  
"Yeah. Have you heard about Wildwing, by any chance? He's my bro."  
  
"I know that. You better come with me. Those guards will be looking for you all over the place now."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Call it an educated guess. Would you rather try and find your own way to survive, or do you want to see your brother?"  
  
"Right, I'll just tag along with you. What happened to you guys? I heard most of the Resistance was—" Dive couldn't bring himself to finish.  
  
"Destroyed. Dragaunus found us with the aid of Lucretia DeCoi and nearly killed us all. Only Canard, Wildwing, Duke and I escaped. We picked up two new recruits, Tanya and Grin in this city and found a suitable hiding place until we go against the Master Tower. By the way, thanks for helping me out with those miserable buckets of metal scrap back there. Not that I couldn't handle it myself."  
  
"This is a pretty long shot, but, do you think I have a chance of joining you guys? Becoming a recruit?"  
  
"You're right. That is a pretty long shot. Not that you don't have potential, but you do seem a bit reckless."  
  
"I thought so."  
  
"Don't worry. We're not going to leave you behind. You can stay with us, under your brother's custody. We have more important things to do than chase a kid around."  
  
"Custody? Great. I'm never gonna see sunlight again." Nosedive suddenly felt dizzy, then shook it off. His back was burning and stinging again but he refused to complain, not wanting to be treated like a child. He coughed dryly.  
  
"Are you allright?"  
  
"Y-yeah . . . I just need a little water, that's all."  
  
"Come on, we're almost there."  
  
They raced through the alleys, and Nosedive followed Mallory through a maze of twists and turns. "Man, you guys sure know how to hide out."  
  
"We've learned from plenty of experience. Never trust anyone."  
  
"Not even little old me?" Nosedive gave a charming smile. Mallory smiled wryly back.  
  
"Maybe. Only because your brother insisted on it."  
  
Nosedive suddenly jumped at a hand clamped onto his shoulder and turned around to face a tall looming muscle-bound figure. "Who're you?" he demanded, wincing in pain as the welts the giant's hand had touched started to throb.  
  
"Perhaps you should be the one telling me who you are, young friend- if you are a friend, " the giant rumbled in a deep but pleasant voice.  
  
"It's allright, Grin. He's Wildwing's younger brother; Nosedive Firedrake. The sun's setting. We'd better get back to the headquarters before the cam-probes come out."  
  
"Cam-probes?"  
  
"Tanya's special devices. Used for detecting intruders within a one mile radius."  
  
"What's so dangerous about those?"  
  
"Also made with built-in lasers. They shoot at anything that moves. That's why you can't trust machines."  
  
The trio reached the door to the secret underground annex just as the sun was setting. Mallory whispered the password and they were let in by a dark gray-feathered duck with an eyepatch and a saber.  
  
"Hey, Sweethear-yeowch!!" Duke was yanked forward by his collar.   
  
"Don't call me sweetheart, Duke. That's the last warning."  
  
Nosedive hid an amused smile. Mallory brushed past Duke, followed by Grin, motioning for Dive to follow.  
  
Duke caught Nosedive trying not to laugh and scowled good-naturedly. " Oh, yeah, wise guy? You try your luck with her and see where *you* end up."  
  
Nosedive, shaking his head, followed Grin and Mallory to the Ready Room in the underground headquarters. Wildwing was there, talking with Canard. At first, Dive didn't recognize him in his armor. He was suddenly aware of the bruises on his face and his tattered clothes. He was afraid the slightest pressure of his brother's hands on his back would make him collapse.  
  
"Wing?" To his dismay, his voice sounded raspy and forlorn. He had wanted to appear strong and confident. All that was forgotten as he and his older brother embraced. And Nosedive found that for some reason, despite the pain, he could not let go.  
  
  
  
"So Mom's dead?" Wildwing asked. His tone was flat; discordant. They were alone sitting on Wildwing's bunk.  
  
Nosedive turned away, avoiding his brothers eyes. "Yeah. They - I'm sorry. I should've protected her." A new anguish rose in his heart. He had not prepared himself to tell his brother of what had happened to Julianna, their mother. He had never truly gotten over the guilt of watching her die, even if he was forced to, and not doing anything about it.  
  
"You're not at fault. I was supposed to take care of you two after Dad disappeared. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."  
  
"No way, big bro. You can't take all the responsibility all the time. You never seem to understand that." Nosedive placed his hand on Wing's shoulder. "You can't do everything. No-one can."  
  
"Dive . . . "  
  
"Mom's with the Saints now. She's at peace."  
  
Wildwing gave a bitter laugh that startled himself as much as it startled Dive. " The 'Saints?' You always did believe that nonsense Mom told you, didn't you? The Saints aren't real. You of all people should know that, especially after the hell you must have been through. I saw your back, what they did to you. Dive, I don't know how many nights you prayed to those false icons to be safe, but I can certainly see that they didn't listen to one word."   
  
Nosedive's eyes glistened with tears and he turned away yet again, staring anywhere other than his brother's face. "I always will believe in them. I don't care if you don't, and I don't care if they don't exist. I believe because Mom did. Wing, her words are all we have left. The Saints are all we have left."  
  
"The Saints have forsaken us. We're alone in this." Wildwing's voice was no longer bitter or cold; it was wistful and sad.  
  
"Only when we believe we're alone, are we truly alone," Nosedive quoted an ancient proverb he had learned somewhere, he did not remember. But it seemed to comfort Wildwing, for his shoulders relaxed, and the angry look left his face.   
  
There was a silence. Wildwing broke it, by changing the subject.  
  
"I-It must have been terrible in that prison camp. Are you hurt anywhere else?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What happened to you? Did you sass off to Saurian officers or something? Tell the truth, Dive. Why did they beat you?quot;  
  
"Well, uh," Nosedive didn't exactly know what to say. If he told Wildwing the truth, that he had received the wounds from torture to find the whereabouts of the Resistance all because Wildwing had escaped, Nosedive knew his older brother would blame himself for Nosedive's pain. He would have to lie. " Yeah, I did get in a fight. A bad one. Some Saurian dude was about to whip a kid. I sorta - you know- and well, let's just say they made an example of me."   
  
"Nosedive - "  
  
"I know I shouldn't have gotten mad, but he was asking for it."   
  
Wildwing sighed. "Well, you're lucky you weren't killed, Nosedive. Come on. Let's get your wounds cleaned up some more. Then you can rest up in my room. I'm sure you're exhausted."  
  
"Whoa . . now that you mentioned it . . . I am tired. And you know how really tired I am when I don't argue."   
  
Nosedive washed the dirt and blood off his face and body as best as he could in the shower, at first, mistaking most of the latter for dirt. It's rustic scent reminded him of the camp. There had always been the smell of death mingled with fresh blood about that place.   
  
He shuddered, not because of the coldness of the water, but because of the memories that resurfaced against his will. Furious and terrified, he scrubbed harder, not caring that he scraped through the tender skin of healing wounds, so long as he could scrape the past from his body as well. He shut the water off and wrapped the towel around his aching body, shivering in the steamless air.  
  
He dried off and began to pull on his clothes. It was not until he looked over his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror, that he saw the damage the Saurians had done to his back. Jagged crimson lines cut sharply through his light-colored feathers, a scarlet red where scabs had not formed yet. His chest bore nearly-healed burnt scars that hurt only when he thought about how he had gotten them; his interrogation with General Dactylar. He swallowed painfully and slid on the shirt Canard had given him along with the rest of his outfit.   
  
The bandages and tattered clothes he was tempted to throw out, but instead, he found himself washing them and folding them, placing them in a rucksack. They were his souvenir of a time both hated and one he could not bring himself to forget. Magpie had tied those bandages around him; a symbol of her friendship. He had worn those tatters when he was with Sparrow, Cobry, Jax, and his fellow rescued prisoners. He had worn those tatters yesterday when he had finally been reunited with Wildwing after nearly two years of separation, working in the ore-mining prison camp. He had nothing else to remind him of those experiences, so those things, he kept.  
  
Nosedive ate his dinner with the others everyday and they all got to know each other better as the days went by.  
  
Grin was quiet and very gentle-minded. He seemed to listen to everything Nosedive and the others had to say. The giant had a pleasant voice and appealed to Dive as a friend, someone he could trust and talk to.  
  
Mallory was usually tense, but amiable when in a good mood. She was a babe, though Dive would never admit it and he wasn't about to take any chances flirting with her since he 'valued his innards', as Duke would put it.  
  
Duke, Dive had decided, was tight. He was smooth, sardonic, and a downright good guy. His past being a thief made him even cooler. And boy did Duke have the raddest stories about his youth. He had done stuff Dive never even dreamed of doing. Duke was Dive's teacher in the practice room, in charge of preparing the youngest member of the Resistance Strike Team for battle.  
  
Tanya- Dive had to confirm- was a nut. She was a motherly type, judging by the way she had fussed over his wounds, and either a genius, or a complete techno-terrorist. Dive wasn't sure, but he liked her. He had seen the Aerowing and was impressed with the improvements she had made. She was flattered he took such an interest in her work, so she demonstrated how the cam-probes worked against a heap of junk in the street as a target. Unfortunately, when she typed in the command to fire at the metal scrap heap, the cam-probe complied, then searched for more metal targets, finding the two ducks' armor as more than suitable.   
  
Dive, feathers coated with soot and grime after the events of that hectic day, reached the conclusion that while Tanya was a great inventor, she needed to work - just a little - on her safety regulations.  
  
Canard, well . . . Canard was just Mr. Iceberg. He often glowered at Dive with such intensity that the young duck often felt extremely unwelcome. Canard obviously didn't want Nosedive here, although the latter didn't know why. Perhaps it was the time he put pickled sardines in Canard's ice skates -once upon a time? Or maybe when he stuffed Canards favorite pillow with sharp rocks? Those were fun pranks even when he was nearly strangled by his own skate laces, spared only on the account that if Canard killed Wing's baby bro, he'd be next.  
  
Nosedive had other problems to worry about rather than Canard's unwelcome feelings. Like convincing his teammates, especially his brother, he could fight despite the pain. He wanted to keep up with Wing and was more afraid than anything that Canard would decide to leave him behind with the self-named Second Resistance.   
  
On the first day with them, he had told them about the escaped prisoners and the safe haven they had found. Mallory and the others had wanted to send supplies there, but Canard refused, saying they might give away their position, endangering all of them. Duke agreed with this, also adding that the former HQ had a good emergency supply and there was plenty to go around since the Brotherhood had so many members.  
  
Nosedive was given a crash course in fighting techniques with Duke as an instructor. He was taught how to handle a puck-launcher, a saber, and even a Saurian blaster, should he happen to be left with no other resources in battle.  
  
Knowing of Nosedive's ill treatment and that he was still recovering, Duke went easier on him with the saber lessons, which involved direct combat. Dive was a natural when it came to the shooting weapons; his aim and reflexes were excellent. But he was somewhat lacking with the saber. Duke, naturally because he was an expert, always bested him. The saber-training took it's hardest toll on the younger duck because it involved a lot of movement and energy, much more than his stiff healing wounds allowed him.   
  
Canard watched silently one day as they went over the saber training lessons. Dive parried then thrusted, to be nimbly avoided by Duke. He jumped back, narrowly being missed by Duke's blow. Finally, Duke knocked the sword from his hand. It clattered on the floor. Dive scowled, disappointed, as he went to pick it up.  
  
"Good job, Dive. You need some more work."  
  
"Just some" Dive laughed, good-naturedly.  
  
"Hey, don't forget, you're parrying with an expert here. I grew up using a sword. You've only just been introduced to it, " said Duke, grinning. Dive tried not to laugh at the older duck's conceit.  
  
"Maybe you should let him try saber-combat with someone less experienced than you are, Duke. See how he fares then," spoke Canard. "I volunteer."  
  
"Mmm, allright. Go easy on him, Canard."   
  
Canard picked up another saber from the weapon case and turned to face Nosedive. "There will be no going easy on anyone."  
  
Dive wasn't sure why Canard wanted to fight him in combat, but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be fun.  
  
The first ten minutes of the combat, Dive had done well enough, but he was still on the defensive. Canard was getting more and more aggressive in his attacks. He had obviously expected the younger duck's weapon to go flying out of his hand with the first blow.   
  
Finally, Canard managed to scratch Dive's hand, making him drop the sword. " That wasn't fair. You-"  
  
Canard struck him across the face with an open hand. Dive yelped in pain and surprise. He stared back at the Resistance leader who had once been a friend to him as much as to Wildwing. "War isn't fair. Remember that, kid. I really don't see what good you are to us if you don't know that simple fact."  
  
"I'm still learning."  
  
"Not fast enough. One more try. Let's see if you can break your record." He laughed, not kindly. "By three seconds at most."  
  
Nosedive seethed as he took his hand away from his stinging face and bent to retrieve the sword. He must have been very tired, for when he stood to face his impolite sparring partner, instead of Canard, there stood General Dactylar.  
  
He was alarmed until a voice in his mind spoke out that he could not recognize. It stirred in his memory, long forgotten and yet never heard until now.  
  
"Use the vision. He is your enemy for now, but not your real enemy. But use the vision wisely. Do not act in anger for then it will only use you . . ."  
  
Who are you? Dive wanted to ask, but the voice was gone and General Dactylar was charging forward.   
  
The battle was fierce and frightening, but Nosedive soon gained control by taking the advice the voice had given him. The lessons he had learned from Duke stirred in his memory and he used it well.  
  
It was the last thought, of Cobran, Jaxara, and Sparrow suffering under the gaze of Dactylar's cruel eyes that gave him the final burst of strength to knock the sword from his opponents hand and place Dactylar at his mercy.  
  
In that moment, Dactylar ceased to be Dactylar, and Nosedive found himself holding the tip of his sword at Canard's throat. He lowered it instantly at the surprise and shock in Canard's eyes. Nosedive then felt the pain his efforts had cost him. He stood still, his senses reeling with agony. He finally walked to Duke and gave him the sword, oblivious to Duke's proud grin, then turned to Canard once more. Their eyes met, this time, Canard's authoritative glare was gone replaced with something softer. Canard almost looked like his old self again.  
  
Nosedive smiled bitterly. Winning the duel was certainly not expected of him. He turned away before it could turn into a grimace of pain as he walked, aching, to his room. He laid down on his chest, trying to ignore the sting in his back, and buried his face in the pillow. Saints, what was that? Was he going crazy? Canard was nothing like Dactylar no matter how mad he made Nosedive feel. He could have killed Canard! And that voice . . . Nosedive searched his memories, and could not place it. But it had sounded so familiar.  
  
After spending a few more minutes trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for the events of the past hour, Nosedive was getting sleepy. It was not until he was drifting off when he remembered where he had heard that voice . . . his eyes snapped open, filling at once with tears. "Dad," he whispered, before sleep inevitably overtook him once more.   
  
The next thing he was aware of was being shaken awake roughly. Maybe not roughly, but according to his welts . . . Dive was up with a yelp. He looked up into Mallory's face, and knew by her expression that something serious was happening. "What's going on, Mal?"   
  
"Saurian troops are headed this way. They have a lead to where we're hiding out. Canard says we're not hiding anymore. We're going against the Master Tower. Right now. You ready? " "Whoa, I mean, damn. Yeah, I guess. But wait! Cobran said-" Nosedive immediately shut his beak. The last thing he needed was Mallory or Canard or Saints forbid, Wildwing knowing that he had a Saurian for a best friend. Especially not now, anyway.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Uh-nevermind. I'm always disoriented in the morning. Right before that first dose of caffeine."  
  
"Well it's a good thing you're dressed. We barely have time to pack our stuff and head for the Aerowing."  
  
"Just one thing I gotta grab." Nosedive lifted his rucksack and ran after Mallory to the hangar.   
  
"Where's Wing?"  
  
"Right behind you, little bro."  
  
"Everyone else, too?"  
  
"We're all here," rumbled Grin. "Worried little friend?" he asked, placing a big hand on Nosedive's shoulder.  
  
"No, I'm just fine," gritted the younger duck, as the stinging renewed yet again. He was getting tired of his welts throbbing and hurting with every wrong movement or at the slightest touch. He reasoned it was only because the exercises along with the fight he had yesterday had re-aggravated them. They'd soon heal. Hopefully.  
  
Canard and the rest of the team got ready to do or die. They might not all survive. None of them might survive. Dive thought of this, his heart twisting more painfully than his wounds as he looked at his teammates. He had seen so much suffering, had felt so much, he wasn't sure if he could afford to lose his friends as well. So much already was at risk; Cobran, Jax, Sparrow, Gannet, Kestrel, Gull, Osprey, Magpie . . . so many could, probably would never make it to see another dawn.   
  
Wildwing looked up from the puck-launcher he was loading and was surprised to see his younger brother's face streaked with tears. "Dive?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"You okay, little bro?"  
  
"Yeah. Just bad memories."  
  
The rest of the team fell quiet, remembering their own grim memories of the destruction and death visited upon their world. Canard spoke for all of them when he held out his hand, palm down out to Dive. " For Puckworld." Dive placed his hand over Canard's, Wildwing and the rest of the Ducks following suit.  
  
And so began the adventure.  
  


THE END - well, okay to be technical, the beginning.


End file.
